Page 104 of Devious Obsession
“You okay?”
I blink at him.No, is what comes to mind. But I’m not sure how to say that.
“Mom left because of Dakota and Lennox,” I whisper. Continuing this story even though he’s long since stopped forcing it out of me. “It took her until her two younger children were in danger to get us out of there. She didn’t believe me, I think. Not that I ever told her outright—but what was I supposed to say? The signs were there, but she never made a move against him whenmylife was in danger.”
The old bitterness is resurfacing. I never blamed her for getting away from him. In fact, as it was happening, as we were running, I was grateful. Terrified and relieved. We stayed in shitty motel rooms and cheap, rat-infested apartments while Mom worked two jobs to afford more than that. Hid and feared and tried not to worry that the monster was hunting for us.
Steele leans into me and presses his lips to mine.
Soft.
Slow.
Exactly what he accused me of not wanting earlier seems to be the perfect balm now.
I inch closer and wrap my arms around him. Our chests press together, all the way down to our hips. His tongue sweeps across the seam of my lips, and I automatically open for him. Letting him taste me, tasting him in return.
It’s… I don’t know. Nice, I guess. In an unexpected way. Like we just went through battle and now he’s trying to heal me from the inside out.
And I let him.
That’s the strangest part.
Ilethim heal me. I give him all the bad parts—well, not all. There are so many more pieces of me coated in blood and ash that he has yet to see—and he takes them like they’re precious.
Gifts, even.
I’ve seen the demons under his skin, too. They come out to play when I provoke him, when I want to feel what it’s like to burn.
But his demons were nowhere near this tonight.
This was all for me.
I let out a whimper in the back of my throat, and Steele pulls me tighter. Slips his leg between mine, until his thigh is nestled against my core. Our kiss breaks off, and we breathe like that for a long moment. His eyes burn into mine.
I open my mouth to say something. A thanks, maybe, or…something.
But his alarm goes off with shrill, expert timing, and the words get stuck in my throat.
Time to go back to the real world, Aspen.
30
STEELE
Something has shifted between Aspen and me. I look for her on campus constantly—but not in anger. Not looking for the spy sent by my father. That’s over anyway. No, I look for her because I want to see her dark hair fluttering behind her. The sway of her hips as she walks, the curve of her ass. The way her green eyes find mine almost as easily as I find hers.
I stride into the dining hall and grab food, then head to our table. It’s been the team’s as long as I can remember, in prime placement toward the back of the room. Center. Visible by so many people, but sitting there doesn’t feel like we’re in a fish tank—not like other places. Like when I sit in class and feel the weight of my classmates’ stares.
If I had known hockey would come with a certain level of notoriety, I’m not sure I would’ve done it. I love the sport, I just hate the attention that comes with it. There are perks, of course. The perks outweigh the weight of notoriety.
My father has been radio silent, so I haven’t taken steps to move Aspen into the hockey house. I want her there, but also… I rather like sneaking into her place. Which is exactly what I plan on doing tonight.
She’s sitting with her friend, Thalia. Miles and Finch are with them, as well as more dance team girls. Girls I know for a fact have slept with more than one hockey player… including me.
Well, let’s hope Aspen doesn’t ask about a history, because that would get a bit awkward.
I set my plate down beside hers, sprawling out. My thigh brushes hers, and she glances at me. Then away.
